Peter George, CEO at the country’s biggest printer PMP, is stepping down at the end of November following a tragic family bereavement.
Prior to this George had been planning his retirement for 2018. The company is appointing Kevin Slaven as interim CEO from December 1 while it accelerates the search for its new CEO
George has been the CEO since 2012 breathing life back into what was a debt ridden company whose name was usually preceded by adjectives such as struggling or under pressure. His time at the company has seen the share price rise steadily from 18c to 75c, until it plunged back to 50c on news of the profit downgrade. George has driven the successful merger with IPMG, and won the ProPrint Power 50 in 2015.
[Related: PMP makes Offset Alpine sheetfed centre]
Matthew Bickford-Smith, chairman for PMP says, “It has been a privilege to work with Peter. His disciplined focus on efficiency and cash generation have secured PMP’s future. The merger with IPMH could not have been achieved without Peter’s vision and leadership. We offer our deepest condolences to him and his family at this difficult time.
“Given George’s original intention to retire next year, we had already begun the succession planning process, which will now be accelerated. A thorough search of external and internal candidates is well advanced and should be completed by the end of the calendar year when a permanent appointment will be made. To assist the transition the company and George have agreed for him to remain engaged as a consultant.”
Currently Slaven is responsible for the distribution and marketing service division in PMP along with being the deputy chair of the Australasian Catalogue Association. He joined IPMG in 2000 as CFO and company secretary before becoming CEO in 2013 and joining PMP with the merger in March this year.
Bickford-Smith says “Slaven is a well respected and highly effective leader in the industry with a strong track record of managing integrated print and distribution. We are fortunate to have someone with his experience of print leadership and knowledge of our business to step in at short notice.”
Slaven says, "I look forward to building on the strong foundations that George and the board have put together following the merger."
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter